I hated school. I was crap at most things. Including English. I was bottom set and generally thought to be a bit slow. My parents were brought in to talk the the teachers about how they might help me. I was a bit of a concern as I was unable to read at all. The solution was to sit me I the corner of the classroom and read the Beano whilst the rest of the class read the Hobbit.

Now I’m a writer. I write books! I earn my living from writing stuff down. I still can’t spell but who carers. (Pedants on the internet that’s who, but they can shut up!)

 

Anyway, here’s the abridged journey to becoming a writer.

 

The first bit of writing I did was in 2005. A short play called ‘Finding Scooby Doo’, a comedy about the frustrations of being young and trying to find a job in a recession. I wrote it got some actors to act in it. Put it ion in a bar on Canal Street. We broke even, which is a win for Frineg theatre, so I wrote a play called ‘Why Won’t You Shag me?’, which was picked up by the Police and NHS Scotland and was touring all over Scotland for 5 years teaching the dangers of night clubs.

 

After this I wrote a play called ‘Saturday Boy. This play toured for a couple of years and was seen by a company that commissioned me write ‘Holding’. A play set in a call centre exploring the themes of retirement, friendship, and unfulfilled dreams.

 

Since then, I’ve been constantly writing shows in one way or another. Whether that’s corporate Murder Mysteries, educational theatre, stand-up comedy, poetry, or touring theatre shows.

 

My writing can be found in the British Library, on BBC Radio 4 and of course in the book you can buy here.

 

So, to anyone that thinks that they can’t do something, or feels stupid, just remember the little girl at the back of the class reading the beano wondering what the hell Tolkien was going on about. There’s lots of different roads to success, why not take the more interesting one.